immaculate white stocking, for Mrs. Pennypoker still adhered to some
of the fashions of her far-off youth. Then the Reverend Gabriel
answered.

"We inadvertently strayed from our way and came into this place, without
realizing whither our steps were leading us," he said, while he
continued to prod the mud before him; "and at length we fell, as you
might observe, into the miry clay. I had just suggested the expediency
of our return, when Mrs. Pennypoker--um--in short, met with an accident
which unduly detained us and--ah, I have it!" he exclaimed triumphantly,
as he carefully worked his stick put through the earth, and extended it
in mid-air, with a shapeless, dripping mass hanging on its tip.

No further explanation was needed. Mrs. Pennypoker, as has been said,
still clung to some of the fashions of bygone days; and, among other
similar foibles, she cherished a fondness for congress gaiters, and
invariably wore those feeble apologies for shoes whose limp cloth uppers
are held in place by means of elastic wedges at the sides. In arraying
herself for her visit to the mine, with characteristic New England
thrift, she had put on an ancient pair of these gaiters, whose elastic
sides had long since lost all their spring, and lay in ample folds about
her ankles.

As Mr. Everett had surmised, his cousin, feeling no deep interest in the
mine, had fallen into a theological discussion with her pastor. This had
so engrossed them both that they had lost their way, and had only come
to their senses when they found themselves in the dark, muddy passage of
the deserted drift. They had hastily turned to retrace their steps,
when Mrs. Pennypoker's foot slipped and plunged deep down into the clay;
and, on her withdrawing it, she was horrified to feel that her foot was
slowly but surely pulling out of her gaiter, instead of pulling her
gaiter out with it. In vain she had attempted to work her foot down into
her shoe once more; in vain she had endeavored to hook her bent toes
into it, with a hold sufficient to draw it out. The mischief was done,
and she could only lift up her foot, while the soft mud quickly settled
in above the gaiter, and left no trace of the spot where it lay
embedded.

It was evidently impossible for her to wade back to the cross-cut
without it, and her size, age and dignity all combined to make it
equally impossible for her to hop on one foot as far as the cross-cut;
so she had been forced to come to a halt, whil